Ninth largest home care provider, Direct Health Group, is acquired by housing provider, Accord Group

Housing provider, Accord Group, based in Bromwich, has acquired Direct Health Group, the ninth largest home care provider in the UK.

Direct Health will continue to operate as an independent company under its existing management structure but will now become a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Accord Group.

It currently operates 18 branches across the Midlands, North East and North West regions from its head office in Nottingham and is the ninth largest provider in the UK.

Accord Group chief executive, Dr Chris Handy, said: “This is an exciting announcement for both businesses as well as for communities across the Midlands and North of England. Direct Health is one of the UK’s leading providers of care to people in their own homes and it is a business which has always enjoyed solid organic growth.

"We have seen it build an excellent reputation, both for the quality of its care and for its strength as a business, becoming fully-integrated into the communities in which it operates. Our customers tell us they have a strong preference for receiving care in their own homes and in acquiring one of the leading providers in the UK, we are responding to this demand in a direct, logical and positive manner.”

Jonathan Vellacott, chief executive officer of , said: “Direct Health is a solid and well regarded operator within the domiciliary care sector. I believe that becoming part of the Accord Group will enable us to provide a broader range of services into the communities that we serve.

"We believe that this solid base will allow us, with Accord’s support, to accelerate Direct Health’s growth; focusing specifically on geographical expansion, a broadening of the care offering into higher acuity services and acquisition of further complex care capability.”

The Accord Group manages 11,000 affordable homes and plans to build a further 2,000 new homes by 2015.

It has been offering a range of health, social care and support services to its tenants and the wider community for more than 20 years. A spokesman said: “Tailoring services according to the needs of the individual, the Accord Group emphasises independence, choice, respect, dignity and fulfilment for residents, offering both residential schemes and ‘floating’ support, so that people can receive the care they need in the comfort and privacy of their own homes.

"The acquisition will see it increase the scope and geographical reach of this side of the business, while enabling it to broaden its provision of higher acuity care.”